Costume jewel



Oct. 1'1, 1950 D. G. HENRY 2,526,134

- 1 COSTUME JEWEL Filed Dec. 11, 1945 i atenteci Oct.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COSTUME JEWEL Douglas G. Henry, Washington, D. 0. Application December 11, 1945, Serial No. 634,302

1 Claim. 1

Genericallythis invention relates to costume jewelry but more particularly it is directed to a method of producing from a transparent substance jewels appearing to present a translucent coloring throughout said substance in a predetermined pattern changeable according ot the angle of view.

One of the principal objects of this invention is the production of synthetic jewels from atransparent substance by the application of a coloring material and formation of the respective jewels in a manner such as to appear to produce a. translucent coloring throughout the substance when Viewed from one angle and a predetermined colored pattern only when viewed from another angle.

An important object of this invention is the production of synthetic jewels such as pendants, brooches, earrings, bracelets and the like, from a transparent susbtance formed with a colored body extending through the jewel in a plane normal to the plane surface thereof, said jewel be ingformed in a manner such that the jewel appears to present a translucent circumscribing border corresponding in color to said color body, the portions of the-body of the jewel intermediate said color body and border normally being transparent and'said jewel, when viewed edgewise, presenting a translucent coloring throughout in accordance with the particular color arrangement of said color body.

Another important object of this invention is the production of a syntheticjewel' from a transparent plastic material such as methyl-methacrylate, through the instant method for producing such jewels in varying sizes and shapes, said method consisting in providing a color body extending through said jewel. from one plane surface to the other normal thereto, and forming the circumscribing edges of the jewel in a manner such that the jewel will appear to present a translucent color band or border similar to said color body when Viewing the plane surface of the jewel, the portions of the jewel intermediate said color body and the said colored border being transparent, and when viewed edgewise the jewel appearing to present a translucent color throughout, the color effect being changeable and as to areas according to the angle of vision with respect to said jewel.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate like throughout the several figures, of which:

l is a perspective-view of a severed block of the transparent material prior to applying an adhesive coloring material to the meeting faces and adhesively uniting the separate block portions.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the completed jewel with the color border indicated.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 3-45 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 indicating the color body material as applied to one of the meeting faces.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the of Fig. 4 showing the beveled edges.

My improved jewel consists of a homogeneous transparent plastc body comprising opposite plane surfaces with its circumscribing edges beveled and a thin color body extending therethrough in a plane normal to said plane surfaces at the median line of said jewel. Said pigmented material or color body may be of any shade, hue or combination color arrangement in accordance with the color effect desired. The light rays penetrating the transparent plastic body impinge upon said color body and said rays, corresponding with the predetermined color arrangement, are reflected throughout the plastic body and refracted so as to produce varying color effects, according to the angle of view, for instance, one effect being a translucent color border to said jewel, the within portions, excepting the color body, remaining transparent.

In the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing a block of transparent plastic material is initially severed into two pieces I and 2 and to each of the opposed surfaces 3 and l is applied a coating of the desired pigmented ma terial or coloring matter 5, which has previously been mixed or combined with a suitable adhesive substance, and the faces are brought into intimate contact to reform said severed pieces into a unitary structure or homogeneous unit. The adhesive coloring material 5 as applied to said surfaces 3 and t forms the C010r body 6. After a sufficient time interval depending upon the particular color and adhesive material used, to allow said adhesive to thoroughly dry, usually 12 to 14 hours, the block is then cut or otherwise shaped into the configuration of the particular jewel being formed, in the present instance, a heartshaped pendant A, and cut or otherwise acted upon to form the circumscribing beveled edge 1 lin 5- 5 parts comprising the inclined surface 8 intersecting the top plane surface 9 and the inclined surface intersecting the lower or opposite plane surface i I, said surfaces 8 and I0 intersecting each other as at l2. In order to suspend the pendant A it is formed in its upper edge and in alignment with the said color body with a small countersunk bore l3 adapted to receive a suitable eye screw or other anchor means for connection with a chain or necklace, and if desired such anchor pin may be formed integral with said jewel section or sections without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. In this connection it is obvious that different types of jewels may be provided with pins, hooks, clips or like attaching or supporting means according to their particular requirements as desired.

While for purposes of description I have illustrated and described one form of jewel, it is to be understood that my method is applicable to the production of jewels of this character in a variety of types, sizes and configurations, without departing from the scope or spirit of my invention. In connection with the heart-shaped jewel (Fig. 2), when looking at the face of the jewel the color body will be reflected in opposite directions throughout the transparent material and refracted in a manner such that the jewel appears to have a color border M corresponding to the color body 5 and of equal brilliance, and when thus viewed the transparent body, with the exception. of the edge thickness of the color body, within the line It will be transparent. Also, when similarly viewed but at a slight angle, the colored rays owing to said beveled formation are so refracted that said colored border appears to be confined to the under surface i9, so that said transparent portion will appear to stand out in relief of a height corresponding to surface 8 or the distance between the line i 5 and the edge [6 of said border l6, and as the view is shifted from a full face view toward an edge view said color body will ap pear to substantially come to the surface of the jewel, and the depth of the color in the beveled edge will gradually increase and the transparent area as to such edge will decrease, so that when a complete edge view has been reached, the translucent coloring will appear to extend throughout the jewel material, and, therefore, a continuing shifting movement of the jewel about its suspending axis will produce a changing color effect.

Having gone into the production of synthetic jewels of this type with considerable particularity it is intended that the matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be considered in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

In View of the above it will be apparent that I 4 have devised a method for producing from a transparent plastic material costume or novelty jewelry having a color body extending within the respective jewels, said jewel being predeterminedly formed in a manner such that the light rays will impinge the opposite surfaces of said color body and be reflected and refracted to produce, a colored border appearing to extend within the jewel material and changeable as the jewel is moved with respect to the angle of vision until the material of the jewel will appear to be of a translucent color throughout, and movement of the jewel will effect continuing change of the color effect and extend to the colored and transparent areas, such jewels are adapted to be readily manufactured at a minimum of production costs, and at the same time present an artistic and pleasing appearance.

Although in practice it has been found that the form of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and referred to in the above description as the preferred embodiment is the most efiicient and practical, yet realizing that conditions concurrent with the adoption of the invention will necessarily vary, it is well to emphasize that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired protected by Letters Patent is as set forth in the following claim:

A synthetic jewel having a pair of substantially parallel plane surfaces consisting of a plurality of parts of a transparent material united together by a joint arranged solely perpendicular to said surfaces, a colored substance in said joint between the meeting faces of said parts, the cir-- cumscribing edge of said jewel being formed with intersecting surfaces extending at angles to said plane surfaces in a manner such that the jewel appears to present a border thereon or a translucent color similar to said colored substance, when viewed perpendicularly from a plane surface of the jewel, and said translucent color appearing to extend throughout the jewel when viewed edgewise thereof.

DOUGLAS G. HENRY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Hashimoto May 3, 1921 Number 

